Estudos das representações sobre ligações químicas nos livros didáticos e suas contribuições para o processo de aprendizagem

Abstract

The textbook has been extensively studied by many researchers in order to understand how this teaching tool has been used in teaching as well as its potential to assist learning. This teaching tool is composed of written texts and images, which can interfere as mediators in the learning process. We emphasize the importance of the use of images in teaching chemistry, considering the essential role of the representations in the learning process of the contents of this specific area. Representations facilitate the understanding of symbolic systems by the students, and therefore it is necessary that they are well understood and interpreted. This paper focuses on the analysis of images in textbooks of chemistry approved by PNLEM/2012, referring to the chapters on chemical bonds. The images were identified and analyzed as to the dimensions of chemical knowledge proposed by Johnstone, the constituent elements of these performances and also the degree of relationship between the images and present their respective texts. Then analyzed the images from Peircean semiotics, according to Firstness, and secondness thirdness proposals in their studies. Our results say that when the image represents the three aspects of chemical knowledge, along with the presence of labels and captions may help the understanding of what is being represented, especially when they are directly related to the text. As for semiotic analysis, it was revealed that for the student understands what is being depicted in the image and reach a majority of the concepts involved (Thirdness), this need has good chemical inventory, which are prior knowledge required for understanding the new knowledge, where it will enable a better understanding of the concepts involved.